It has taken me quite a while to get this blog post up. I actually shot this session last fall, in the midst of all the craziness. And now things are somewhat less crazy, but I wanted to make sure I had the time to do this post right. I was contacted by a father who wanted to schedule a session with his two year old daughter S and their dog, Max. He explained that Max was an elderly gentleman, and had just been diagnosed with cancer. They feared that he didn’t have much time left, so they wanted a session right away so that they would have some photographs by which to remember Max. We had the session within a week or so, and sadly I found out later that Max passed away about 2 weeks after the session.
On the day of the session itself, however, I think Max had a lovely time. We started in the studio and we got some adorable shots of S with her doggie. We then went to a park, and I think that might have been Max’s favorite part. I could tell he had a great time trotting around the leaves and sniffing the air. And of course, he played with S and the rest of his family, which I’m sure made him happiest of all.
I have been a dog lover all my life, and I have been lucky enough that we have always had one as part of my family. To me, it just isn’t home unless you open the door and find a wagging tail greeting you there. For that reason, this session was rather hard for me to do. I’m sure it wasn’t always easy for the family either. But I’m so happy that they thought to have it done. I’m sure dogs will always be a part of S’s life… and I’m glad to know that she will always have these photos of the first dog in her life, to celebrate the special bond that they had. If you have a pet that’s getting on in years, make sure you take lots of photos (either by me, or another photographer, or with your own camera). As a the quote by Carlotta Monterey O’Neill says, “Dogs’ lives are too short. Their only fault, really.” Here’s to you and the lovely life you led, Max.
A person can learn a lot from a dog, even a loopy one like ours. [My dog] taught me about living each day with unbridled exuberance and joy, about seizing the moment and following your heart. He taught me to appreciate the simple things - a walk in the woods, a fresh snowfall, a nap in a shaft of winter sunlight. And as he grew old and achy, he taught me about optimism in the face of adversity. Mostly, he taught me about friendship and selflessness and, above all else, unwavering loyalty. ~ John Grogan, Marley and Me, 2005
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